Temptation
by Tatsurou-san
Summary: The girls of the Teen Titans mysteriously dissappear. What happens when Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg stumble across the island they've been on this whole time?
1. Surprise Vacation

1. Surprise Vacation

The T-ship came down slowly, settling down on the island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. As the canopies popped open, Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg hopped out of the only occupied canopies. Robin addressed the boys.

"Okay, this is where we finally picked up Raven's communicator from, so she's somewhere here. With luck, Starfire, Jinx, Argent, Bumblebee, Kole and Pantha are here, too. Or, at the very least, Raven will know where they are."

Cyborg nodded. "It's wierd, though. As soon as we landed, I lost the signal. SHe's here somewhere, but I don't know where."

"DUDES!" Beast Boy shouted out. "Look at this place!"

They looked. Sandy beaches, palm trees, gentle waves, clean ocean. "What about it?" Robin asked.

"THis place is a paradise!" Beast Boy yanked off his body suit, revealing his swimming trunks. "This is gona be awesome!"

"Beast Boy!" Robin snapped, bringing him back to himself. "We need to find the girls. THey went missing with no explanation, and we need to make sure they're safe."

"I know, I know," Beast Boy said. "You think you're the only one worried? But look at this place! Don't you think maybe, just maybe, the girls got togehter and decided to take a vacation somewhere off the beaten path, and didn't bother to clear it with you cause you're too much of a stick in the mud?" He gestured to the island. "I mean, if they did, can you think of a place that fit the bill better than here?"

Robin glanced around. "Maybe...but they didn't tell anyone else?"

Beast Boy shrugged. "If they had, someone would have wanted to tag along, or would have told you. That's probably what's up with the communicators as well. They only brought Raven's to activate when they wanted a pick up."

"They've been gone for two weeks!"

"And now we got the signal. Admit it, it makes sense."

Cyborg, listening to the arguement, nodded. "BB's got a point, Robin. But how about a compromise." They turned to him. "We stay battle ready until we find one of the girls, and ask them what's going on. If there's no danger, we just relax for a while. How's that sound?"

Robin nodded. "SOunds like a plan. Let's go."

THey began to trek across the sand, looking for their missing friends.


	2. Welcome To Paradise

2. Welcome to Paradise

Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg walked along the beach, the sand crunching beneath their shoes. Looking ahead, they saw movement. They ducked behind a stand of palm trees.

"Okay, on three, we head out there, ready for anything," Robin said, reaching into his utility belt. Cyborg prepped his sonic cannon. Beast Boy got ready to shape change. "One...Two..."

"WHy is it always three?" asked a voice at his elbow.

They all jumped and spun. Kole smiled at them, holding a juice drink, looking relaxed in her swimsuit. "Hey, everyone. What's up? When'd you get here?"

Robin immediately began quizing. "Kole! Are you allright? Where are the others? Are they here? Are they allright? Is Starfire okay?"

Kole waved him into relaxation. "Easy, RObin, easy. We just decided to take a vacation. Raven knew this great spot. Sorry we didn't clear it ahead of time, but the weather was too perfect to wait." She leaned up against a tree, and made some gestures. "Argent and Pantha are over that way somewhere, wrestling probably. Jinx and Bumblebee are up near the mountain somewhere, working on their tans. Star's wandering the beach, and last I checked Raven was at the tidal pools." She sighed contentedly and took a sip of her drink. "You might as well let your hair down, as it were."

Cyborg glanced at the others. "Well, looks like things are pretty much normal. I'm gonna go check on Jinx and Bumblebee." Turning, he headed towards the mountain, which was only a mountain by stint of shape and being the highest point of the island.

Beast Boy looked at Robin. "Look, it sounds like everyone's okay, so I'm gonna go check on Raven. Why don't you get changed for the beach back at the ship and go check on Star?" Not waiting for an answer, Beast Boy strode off, whistling.

Robin looked around, then shook his head. "I suppose...we could all use a vacation, after all." He headed back for the ship to change.

Kole smiled as she sipped her drink. She stared up at the palm trees, her eyes ever so slightly glazed. 


	3. Can you feel this?

3. Can you feel this?

Cyborg climbed the side of the mountain slowly, glancing often at the scenery. Something was strange about this place, but it was so pleasant. There was nothing to fight, no bad guys to chase...just sun, surf, sand...and the girls.

As he thought that, he crested a rise and saw Bumblbee and Jinx, sunbathing. Bumblebee was wearing a black and yellow stripe bikini that flattered her figure. Jinx was wearing a rather skimpy strapless two piece in her preferred dark purple.

*Woah,* Cyborg thought. *Jinx is...bigger than she looks. She must bind herself. And Bumblbee...damn!* He shook his head. *What am I thinking?* He called out to them. "Hey girls! You okay up here?"

Jinx looked up. "Hey tin man! COme to join us?"

Bumblebee smiled. "Yeah, come on Sparky! Get some sun, it'll be good for you!"

He shook his head, but walked forward. "Bee, I'm not solar powered."

Jinx pulled him down between them. "Who was talking about your power core, Cy?" She gently stroked his arm.

"Yeah, come on, Sparky. YOu need to leard to relax, be more laid back." She smiled as she grabbed his other arm, stroking his chest. "You saying you don't like it here?"

Cyborg was going to get up - this wasn't really appropriate - but he froze. He could feel what they were doing! It wasn't just the usual sensor logs of 'physical contact registered' with temperature readings and everything else from his cybernetic sensors. He could feel their touch, too, as though he had skin again. It was like a dream, and he didn't want to leave it.

Leaning back on the sandy bowl, he relaxed, as the two girls continued to gently stroke his body. Smiling, he relaxed into their caresses.

As he let his eyes glaze over, he said contentedly, "...boo-yah..." 


	4. Just Be Happy

4. Just be Happy

Robin walked along the beach, lost in thought. He had changed to a set of black swimming trunks, but he kept his mask and boots on. This all seemed too good to be true, and his training under Batman had made him suspicious of sich things.

As he passed part of the beach, he glanced over and noticed Argent and Pantha. Argent was dressed in a red and black bikini, while Pantha was wearing a ellow swimsuit that resembled her normal wrestling outfit. They were indeed wrestling...in a mudpit. Robin hurried on before he got too...distracted. He wouldn't want Starfire to see him staring and get the wrong idea.

As much as he wanted to be suspicious, he couldn't seem to find anything to support his suspicions. Walking along the beach, he was just about to admit that maybe, just maybe, this place was perfectly safe after all when something suddenl closed over his eyes.

"Guess who?" a giggling, familiar voice asked him.

"Starfire?" he gasped out.

"No fair," she said, pulling back and coming around in front of him. "You peeked." Then she kissed him soundly before giggling again and skipping away into the water, kicking up a few splashes.

She was dressed in a rather skimpy white bikini that was quite flattering. For quite some time, all Robin could do was stare. Then he noticed something. "Starfire, how come you're not flying?"

She walked up to him, laughing. "Why ever would I want to fly here, Robin? If I flew, I would not experience the water against my legs, or the sand between my toes, and they are such wonderful experiences. Won't you join me in this, Robin? Simpl take your cape off and relax."

"Umm...I'm not wearing my cape..."

"Take off something else then," she said, grinning wickedly.

"STARFIRE!"

Starfire threw herself back onto the sand, giggling wickedly at Robin's expression. "Robin, this is a paradise! This is a place and time to relax and forget our cares and worries." She came up to him and pressed herself against him. "Can't you do that for me, Robin?"

Sighing and smiling, Robin nodded, and knelt down to remove his boots. He slipped his bare feet into the sand, and felt his cares slip away. "You're right, Star. This is a place to be happy. To...be without cares. I should have seen it before." He put his hand up to his mask. "Perhaps this was just getting in the way...like it always does." He removed his mask.

Starfire ssmiled at him. "Dear Robin...you have beautiful eyes."

"Not as pretty as yours," he said, smiling.

She lay down next to him, wrapped her arms around him, and began to kiss him deeply, passionately. The heat inside them both rose to a fever pitch. Starfire stroked Robin's chest gently with her hand.

Then her hand strayed lower. 


	5. Dreams Come True

5. Dreams Come True

Beast Boy started out racing across the sand, but as he passed the empty expanse, he began to slow down. He glanced around at the sun, surf, sand, and general air of tropical paradise of the island. THe sand squelched between his bare toes as dividing impulses warred within him. On the one hand, he really wanted to just enjoy this ultimate vacation. But on the other hand, something inside was fidgety, edgy, like an animal in a cage.

Animal in a cage...that's what was going on. His human side was perfectly comfortable here, but the animal in him, his instincts, were restless. THere was something going on here, and it was more than just a paradise.

"This place is too good to be true," he muttered under his breath, kicking a rock.

"And when did you get so serious?"

He spun, instinctively going into a crouch...and then went limp as his jaw dropped.

There in what would almost be called natural glory...stood Raven. She was ankle deep in the tidal pools, holding a seashell up to her ear. Water dripped off her body, as if she had just gone for a dip. It ran down over her dark blue Daisy Duke shorts and bikini top. Beast Boy could only stare, as he was seeing more of Raven than he ever thought he would. "Mwah..." was the only slightly intelligent thing he could manage to say as a great deal of his blood rushed to his face...and elsewhere.

Raven laughed quietly, and stepped out of the pool and walked over to him. "What's wrong, ...Garfield? Cat got your tongue?"

He blinked for a bit. "Did...did you just tell a joke?"

She looked away, looking embarrassed and down. "Not very good, huh?"

"Are you kidding! It was great, just...caught me off guard, cause I was...distracted."

"Distracted?" She looked at him. "By what?"

"Uhh...the view," he said lamely.

"Oh, it is a beautiful vista, isn't it?" She turned to look at the scenery.

"Yes...beautiful mountains..." Beast Boy heard himself saying.

"But there's only one mountain," Raven said quizically, then saw Beast Boy's eyes were on her. "YOu're not talking about the scenery, are you?" she asked, blushing.

"Uh...well...er..."

"It's okay," Raven said, turning around. "I know I'm far from pretty, and my coloring doesn't exactly lend itself to beach wear...I just thought..." Her voice sounded like it was starting to break.

"Raven, no! It's not that at all!" He spun her around to face him and saw the tears in her eyes. Somehow, the difference in terrain had them at eye level. "You are absolutely beautiful! The most beautiful girl I've ever seen! I was just totally tongue-tied so bad by how gorgeous you look I had trouble thinking!" As she looked into his eyes, he realized what he was saying. "Uh...er...I mean..." He felt his hands drop lamely.

"Do...do you really mean that?" Raven asked him, hope shining in her eyes.

As Beast Boy tried to wrap his mind around the fact that this was really happening, his animal instincts embraced the moment. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her to him. "Let me show you how much," he found himself saying.

Raven almost fell into his embrace, leaning into him. Tilting her head up, almost shyly, her lips met his. It wasn't a classic passionate kiss, but a shy one, almost as though - quite true - she wasn't entirely sure how to go about doing it.

As Beast Boy's internal disquiet momentarily subsided, he gently kissed her back, holding her close against him.

Something in the air stirred. 


	6. Back to Reality

6. Back to Reality

Beast Boy's ees opened. His mind was swimming. Part of him just wanted to let go, live in this perfect moment with Raven. But another part of him was screaming at him, trying to break free. Then he saw Raven's eyes, how they were somewhat glazed over...and he pushed her back.

"Raven!" he shouted. "This isn't you. THis isn't natural. Snap out of it!"

"WHat are you talking about?" she asked blandly. "Can't we just have a happy moment between us, no interruptions, no distractions, just once?" She leaned in to kiss him again.

Right then, Beast Boy did the only thing he could think of. Turning into a pterodactyl, he seized her shoulders in his talons and took to the air. As he gained altitude, his head began to clear, and he saw clearly just what had almost happened.

Suddenly he heard Raven scream in pain, and he dove back to the island. CHanging back, he caught her. "Raven! Are you okay? What happened?"

Raven was shivering. She looked up at Beast Boy. Her eyes were no longer glazed, but now they were filled with terror. "Beast Boy, what's going on? What happened? Where am I?" She looked down at herself. "What am I wearing?"

He pulled her close. "It's okay, Raven. Something was manipulating your mind, and it nearly got me, too. But I was able to snap you out of it."

Raven shook her head. "Something's wrong...I can't..." She stared at him. "YOur emotions...your thoughts...I can't sense them." She waves her hand around...but nothing happens. "My powers...they're gone."

A cold breeze makes them both shiver. Looking up, Beast Boy saw a cave enterance that seemed incredibly too sinister for this paradise. "Where did that come from?" he asked, and started to walk towards it.

"NO!" RAven suddenly tackled him to the ground. "When we first got here...we went in there and...something was waiting for us." She shuddered. "Some sort of creature...or monster. It...it got inside our heads and..." She continued to shake.

Beast Boy pulled her into his arms, but his eyes were angry. "Now it makes sense...Whatever is in that cave, this island is its feeding ground. It must feed on certain kinds of emotions or something. It must have locked onto you through your empathy, and used you to bring the other girls here. Once you were here...it turned you into bait for the rest of us..." A low growl started in his throat. "It wanted us to...pursue our desires, so it could feed off of them."

"How...how can you know this?"

"...because now that it knows it can't feed on me, it's trying to push me away. Whatever it is, it's parasitic, and I'm no longer a valid food source." Beast Boy got up. "And it has your powers, which means you can't go too far from it." He began to walk towards the cave.

"Wait!" Raven grabbed his arm. "Where are you going?"

"To give it a piece of my mind."

"Don't...don't leave me alone!" Raven suddenly clung to him. "I...I'm afraid. If you leave...what if it gets control of me again, and-"

He pulled her against him. "Don't worry. I won't leave you alone." He headed towards the cave, his arm around her.

She looked over to him once they were inside. "How...how did you know something was wrong? To break me out of it?"

He was quiet for a time. When he spoke again, his voice was bitter. "Because my dreams don't come true."

Something in the cave stirred as they approached, angrily. 


	7. Paradise Fallse

7. Paradise Fallse

BEast Boy walked into the cave, Raven beside him. His mind was focused. Several times stray thoughts entered his mind about how beautiful the place was, how pristine, how wonderful it would be to just stay there with Raven forever...

He ignored them all. He knew one thing. Yes, he was in love with Raven. He was in love with ALL of her, and whatever ruled this place had sought to use her, twist her into a shadow of herself to control him. He would not tolerate that. This creature - whatever it was - would pay.

What bothered him, though...he wasn't entirely sure all of these thoughts were from the creature. Some of them might be his own. But he couldn't let himself doubt. If he doubted, he would be consumed. He wasn't sure how he knew that, but it sounded right.

Raven walked along behind Beast Boy, lost in thought. As afraid of what was going as she was, something had slowly percolated its way into her mind. She was afraid. She was feeling. And...nothing was happening. No explosions, nothing breaking, no danger. Without her powers, she could feel without consequences. Did she really want to give that up? And what had Beast Boy meant about his dreams not coming true?

Focusing, she thought through the fog in her mind, trying to remember what had happened before Beast Boy snapped her back to herself. Suddenly, the fog in her mind parted, and she stopped.

She remembered the kiss.

She reached up and touched her lips, remembering. Yes, it hadn't been her. Yes, it had been to serve some sinister purpose. But...it had been wonderful, and she wanted more. But...what if that was just this creature trying to use her against Beast Boy agian?

They reached the depths of the cave, and something stirred. A voice spoke in their minds.

I offer you so much, and ask so little in return...and yet you do this? Trespass in my sanctum?

THe voice in their minds was heavy, ancient, primal. There was not rage in the voice, not yet, but the weight of it drove Raven to her knees. She shivered at the power of the voice. She heard Beast Boy respond.

"You offer me nothing but lies, and ask that I sacrifice that which I hold most dear. Others may find your offer appealing, but to me it is the worst betrayal I could ever perform. I will not trade love for lust!"

The voice was his, but it was more so, as though a multitude spoke through him, and there were heavy overtones of snarls, growls, and screeches to his voice. It wasn't just him speaking...or perhaps it was more accurate to say it was ALL of him speaking.

Raven felt stunned by what she'd just heard. *Trade love for lust?* she thought. Then she understood, and it was all she could do not to cry.

The creature stirred.

Then you are of no use to me, Beast creature. Begone from my land. I shall find...other ways to feed.

Something slithered out of the darkness and seized Raven by her leg, pulling her in. She screamed as she was dragged past Beast Boy. He reached out to try and grab her, but other things slithered out of the darkness and grabbed her arms and other leg. As the slimy things slithered over her flesh she screamed.

Something streaked past her vision just before she blacked out.

Something green.

Something furry.

Something ANGRY!

The island environment suddenly became very dark, although no one noticed. Suddenly, a creature was expelled from the cave, to land on the sand of the beach.

It looked like something out of Lovecraftian horror. It was a writhing mass of black tentacles, red eyes, and slathering maws and fangs. It roared its fury, turning on the one who had dragged it from its sanctum.

The Beast lunged for the monster, roaring. The impact was deafening, and although the creature seemed to have an advantage at first, it quickly became apparant that it was unused to fighting, but the Beast was driven by fury and the vicious multitude of nature.

Tentacles fell in a bloody rain, and an unearthly screech of pain erupted from the creature. Then Beast Boy changed back, standing atop the creature and holding a stalactite from the cave.

"You offer temptation...but the price is too high." He drove the stalactite through the creature's largest eye.

A scream of rage, pain, and unearthly loss erupted in the air...and then all was silent. THe creature dissolved into a puddle of black blood, and the land changed. It was no longer beautiful, no longer paradise. It was a rocky crag, surrounded by thunderstorms. The spell that had hidden the truth was broken with the death of the creature who preyed on those who stumbled upon the land. Energy shot up out of the pool of black blood as it dispersed, returning to the original owners.

When the green energy entered her body, Starfire sat bolt upright, coming back to herself. She glanced down at the scenario. She was laying on rocks with Robin, his mask was off, she was only wearing a bikini bottom, and her hand was wrapped around his...

Shooting backward like a rocket, Starfire grabbed her top and fled, overcome by embarrassment and confusion.

After a moment, Robin sat up and glanced around, wondering what had happened. Glancing down, he quickly pulled up his trunks and went looking for the others.

Jinx and Bumblebee pulled away from Cyborg when the energies returned to them, confused as to what was going on.

When Cyborg came back to himself, however, he stared down at his hands, and touched his face. Then, for no clear reason, he broke down and wept.

When the energy returned to Raven, she searched through her mind and body. Things were back to normal. Her mind was clear, her memories were there. THe others would remember what had happened soon as well.

Looking up, she saw Beast Boy standing before her. She walked up to him. "Beast Boy..."

"Come on," he said, his voice tired, cold...broken. "Let's go find the others and get back to the Tower." He turned to walk along the dark, rocky shores, his shoulders slumped.

She stared after him, her heart falling to pieces inside her. 


	8. Bad Ending

8. Bad Ending

The Titans had returned to their various towers, although Jinx had returned with the main Titans to Jump City. She'd said there were things she had to work out.

Cyborg was in the garage, working on various projects. Jinx came in to talk to him. "Tin Man? You okay?"

The other Titans had asked him this. He'd told them he was okay, and they'd let it go. Somehow, he felt he owed Jinx more. "...no, I'm not okay."

"...wanna talk about it?"

He was silent for a long time. "...Jinx, how much do you know about my...makeup?"

"You mean you being half metal? Not much."

"When this...happened, I lost quite a bit. And I'm not just talking about the physical side. I don't hear anymore: I detect audio wavelengths, and translate them internally into understandable sound. I don't smell: I detect chemicals in the air and identify them. I don't taste: I analyze chemical compounds and translate them into data my mind can interpret." He fell silent. "All of these are viable substitutes, and my mind really can't tell the difference. But...there's a major difference between feeling someone's hand on your arm...and analyzing physical proximity data. I...can no longer feel what it means to be touched. I know it's happening...but I can't feel it. It's like...my whole life is a video game, and I'm just holding the controller. I thought I was used to it...but..."

"But...?" Jinx watched him carefully.

"While on that island, under the influence of that creature...I could feel being touched. It wasn't, 'I know you are there.' It was, 'I feel your hand on my arm.' It wasn't trying to attatch memory to incomplete physical sensation. It WAS. And...as much as I would have lost staying there...that would have been worth it, to feel another person next to me...once again." Teras streamed from his human eye. He held up a hand to them. "See this? I'm crying. I know I'm crying, data streams into my mind, telling me my tear ducts are producing fluid which is leaking from my eye...but I can't feel it." He turned back to his work. "I...I need to be alone for a while."

Jinx took the hint and stepped out of the garage. She heard his sobs through the door, and felt tears fall from her own eyes. She found herself wishing she couldn't feel them falling...it might be easier to bear.

Robin went looking for Starfire. As soon as she had gotten back to the tower, she had locked herself in her room. Realizing she was still there, he knocked on her door. "Star? Can I come in?"

"Please do not, friend. I am...ashamed."

"What? Star, what do you have to be ashamed of?"

"Robin...you remember what happened between us on the island, yes?"

Robin blushed. "Yes..."

"What happened...it should not have happened...not that way. And now...when I look in my mirror, or at you...I see the memory of what I did, and-"

"But Star, it wasn't us, we were being controlled-"

"And that only makes it harder. It would not be so hard to bear...to get past...if I hadn't wanted something like it so much."

"Star...?"

"Please, friend...please leave me be for a time."

"...okay, Star. ...I'm sorry..."

Robin walked away from her door, hand going to his mask, for once hating everything it stood for, wishing he dared destroy it.

Inside her room, Star cradled Silkie in her arms, feeling dirty and defiled...wishing that Robin had seen beyond her words, to how much she wished he had come in to comfort her. She wept bitter tears, that in this moment of her greatest need, she had only her bumgorf, who knew nothing of her pain.

Raven went up to the roof, dressed in her normal outfit. She was surprised to see Beast Boy standing there, staring at the sunset. She walked up to him. "Beast Boy..."

He looked at her. "Hey Raven." He shifted his weight. "You doing okay?"

"I'm not injured. But...I'd say I'm a long way from okay."

"I'm sorry."

"Why? It's not your fault."

"Isn't it?" Beast boy was staring out at the sun again. "It was because of how I feel about you that you were used that way. Doesn't that make it my fault?"

"No!" Raven stared at him in shock. "How could it?"

"Raven...if I didn't-"

"If you hadn't done what you did, it would have been someone else I was used to tempt...someone who wouldn't have cared enough to realise it wasn't me..." She stared at him. "Beast Boy...you saved me."

"..." Beast Boy watched the sunset.

"Beast Boy...I..." Raven tried to get the words out, but they were so hard.

"Raven...I hope someday you find someone worthy of you." Beast Boy turned to go inside. "Know that no matter what happens...I'll always be your friend."

"But Beast Boy-"

"I'm sorry." He went through the door, his voice sunk, broken.

Raven sank to her knees. "...that's the problem...I...I want us to be more..." Not caring what would happen, Raven let her tears fall.

Inside, Beast Boy went to his room, and let himself sink into despair. He knew she could never love him. He wasn' worthy of her. He knew she was grateful for the rescue, but he was convince she would regret trying to be with him. He couldn't let her make that mistake.

Not every story...has a happy ending. 


	9. Gimmie a Rewrite

9. Gimmie a Rewrite

And sometimes, just sometimes...people know what they're doing, and they take the right chances...

Cyborg looked up as the door to the garage burst open in a flash of pink light. Jinx stood there, tears streaming down her face. "Jinx?"

"Sometimes, Cyborg," she began, her voice breaking, "you can be a real idiot. Yes, I know how much you lost when you became what you are, but that's not the end." She walked up to him. "Sometimes...you don't need to touch to feel."

"What...what do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"I mean...feel this," she said, grabbing him by his ears and pulling him into a kiss.

He stood frozen for a time, pink and blue light sparking in his circuitry. Then he wrapped his arms around her, deepening the kiss. While he couldn't feel touch...he could feel this...

...and it was SO worth it.

Starfire looked up as she heard something slipped under her door. Getting up, she read it.

Starfire,  
I know what happened has...changed things between us. We may never be able to look at each other the same way. But I don't want to lose what we have.  
I love you, Star, and I don't want what happened between us on the island to destroy any chance we had at happiness together. I can only hope...that you will come out soon, and that you will feel the same way.  
Richard 'Robin' Grayson.

Attatched was a picture of Robin...without his mask.

Carefully setting the letter down on her desk out of Silkie's reach, she flew out of her room, in her haste not bothering to open the door first. Somewhere down the hall, a ferocious and pleasent impact could be heard, as two lovers were reunited.

Raven stood outside Beast Boy's room, wondering how she was going to do this. She could try telling him straight out, but she had sensed his state of mind. He wouldn't believe her. He had been twisted by what happened on the island. And truthfully, after everything she'd done to him in the past, would he really believe her saying that he was a valued friend, let alone her heart's desire?

Action was equally out of the question, after what had happened. What could she possibly do to get him to see what she wanted to tell him. Then an idea struck her, and it was so ridiculous, so crazy...that it just might work.

She knocked on his door, and he answered. "Yeah, Raven?"

"You. Me. Video games. Now."

He blinked several times. "Say what?"

"I'm challenging you to video games, Beast boy."

"Oh." He wrapped his mind around this...slowly. "Did one of the others put you up to this?"

"If it helps you to think of it that way, yes," she said, tapping her head.

He got the message. "Oh." He smirked. "So what's the wager?"

"Wager?"

"If it's a challenge, there's gotta be a wager. So what are the stakes?"

She thought for a time, then smirked. "Well, if you win...I'll go on a date with you."

"Huhbu-SAY WHA?" He practically fell over.

"What? Are you going to tell me now that you don't want that?" She raised her eyebrow.

"No I didn't say that I'm just so surprised you said that and I-" she put her finger to his lips, silencing him.

"And if I win...you get to be my servant for a week. How does that sound?"

He nodded dumbly. She smiled.

"Good. Now let's go play, shall we?"

As they headed down to the game room, Beast Boy spoke up. "Raven...what brought this on?"

She smiled shyly. "A desire to live a dream. One we both shared, apparently. We both deserve to have a dream come true, don't you think?" Looking at him, she reached out and pinched his cheek.

"OW!"

"There," she said. "Now you know you're not dreaming." She turned to go, then jumped. "Ah!" She spun on him, eyes red.

He smirked. "And now you know you aren't."

She pinned him to the wall. "Pull something like that without permission again and I'll turn you inside out!"

He nodded. "Dully noted!"

"Good." She turned back. "Now come on, I can't wait to waste you on the game station. After this, that will make good therapy."

"Now who's gonna be wasting who?" he responded, running to keep up.

Sometimes...just sometimes, people find happiness in the most unlikely of places...and it is all worth it after all.

It's not happily ever after...but it is a chance. And that's more than most people get. 


End file.
